Pokémon GO has finally announced after many years of players complaining that remote trading will be added to the game. This core element to the Pokémon franchise has not been a part of the game until now.

Trade remotely with your Forever Friends!

The Forever Friends and Remote Trade features are entering a phased rollout starting on Monday, December 8, 2025 (PST), beginning with New Zealand. We'll share more information about when these features will be made available globally at a later date. Stay tuned!

Trainers,
Get ready to level up your Pokémon GO friendships! Everyone can work towards the newest level of friendship, Forever Friends. When you become Forever Friends, you’ll be awarded with a Remote Trade, which you can use to trade Pokémon with that friend—from anywhere!

Become Forever Friends

Together, Trainers can now reach a new Friendship level…Forever Friends! This new, higher Friendship level (above Best Friends) offers rewards and XP along with two new perks.

• When you become Forever Friends with a fellow Trainer, you’ll get to make a Remote Trade with each other!
• You can keep engaging with your Forever Friends to earn friendship points. Earning more friendship points nets you rewards, including XP and additional Remote Trades. But take note, Trainers can only have one Remote Trade available with each Forever Friend, so consider making that trade before you get enough friendship points to earn another.

See the Pokémon GO Help Center article Friend List & Friendship Levels for more details.

Friendship Points

Friendship points are the new way to track your friendship progression with other Trainers. Trainers can earn up to one friendship point per day with each friend by battling together, trading, sending Gifts, or completing other interactions.

Trainers can also earn additional friendship points by completing weekly challenges together.

Remote Trades

To get ready for your first Remote Trade, you’ll be asked to use a special Remote Trade tag to mark the Pokémon that you would be willing to trade with your Forever Friends. Once you become Forever Friends with someone, you’ll each be able to see the Pokémon that the other person has marked with the Remote Trade tag—these are the Pokémon that they are willing to trade.

To kick off a Remote Trade, each Trainer takes turns selecting up to three of their friend’s tagged Pokémon that they would be happy to receive. These “wish lists” are sent to the other Trainer. Each Trainer selects one of the requested Pokémon to offer to the other. Both Trainers then review the final offerings and have the chance to confirm or cancel. Throughout the Remote Trade process, either Trainer has the option to decline the current request and start the process over.

If you’re Lucky Friends, your next trade will be lucky—even if it’s remote!* And Remote Trades don’t count as Special Trades, regardless of which Pokémon were traded remotely.

The following Pokémon cannot be included in a Remote Trade.

• Pokémon caught in the last 30 days
• Previously traded Pokémon
• Shadow Pokémon
• Mythical Pokémon
• Pokémon defending Gyms or Power Spots
• Pokémon currently set as your buddy
• Actively Mega-Evolved Pokémon
• Fused Pokémon
• Crowned Sword Zacian and Crowned Shield Zamazenta
• Pokémon placed at Pokémon Playgrounds

*Once you receive your Lucky Pokémon from the Remote Trade, you will no longer be Lucky Friends.

Weekly Challenges

Weekly challenges allow you to team up with up to three other Trainers from your Friend List, no matter where they are, to take on a group challenge each week. You can earn rewards including XP, and additional friendship points.

Additional Updates

The max number of friends is being increased from 450 to 650 over the next several weeks by increments of 50.

Timed Research

There will be a free Timed Research opportunity available to Trainers starting Monday, December 15, at 10:00 a.m. to Monday, December 29, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. local time.

Complete the Timed Research to encounter a Scatterbug. Timed Research tasks will also award XP, Stardust, and more!

Please note that Timed Research expires. The tasks associated with this Timed Research must be completed and their rewards must be claimed before Sunday, January 4, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. local time.

Source: https://pokemongo.com/news/pgo-remote-trade-2025

Friend List & Friendship Levels

You can add friends in Pokémon GO to stay connected with Trainers that you meet along your Pokémon GO journey. As you play together, you’ll gain friendship points to increase your Friendship level and unlock extra bonuses. You’ll also be able to send Gifts and trade Pokémon with your friends.

Once you become friends with another Trainer, you’ll both be able to see each other’s Trainer Profile through the Friend List. This information includes your Avatar, Buddy Pokémon, Team, number of Pokémon caught, most recently caught Pokémon, Trainer level and XP, Distance Walked, and the number of Battles won. If you decide that you no longer want a friend to see this information about you through their Friend List, you may simply remove them. Keep in mind that removing a friend in one game will remove them from other games as well.

Note: For child accounts, parents or guardians may opt into enabling this feature through the Niantic Kids Parent Portal or Pokémon Trainer Central website. Please note that disabling a game’s “Friends and Related Features” permission in the Parent Portal will permanently remove all friends from your child’s Friend List for that game.

WHAT WILL FRIENDS SEE ABOUT ME?

Friends will see your Trainer profile, achievements, and Pokémon that you have caught. You can disable showing friends which Pokémon you've caught in the Settings menu. Friends may also find out about your location when you send them a Gift or when you trade Pokémon with them.

Friends who have set themselves Online can see your Online status if you have also set yourself online. You can toggle your Online Status by tapping the switch at the top of your Friend List.

Friends can also access your Niantic Profile, which shows recent achievements in Pokémon GO and other Niantic apps. This page also displays lifetime stats, including distance walked and the date that you began playing Niantic games.

FRIENDSHIP LEVELS

You can grow your Friendship level with a friend by earning friendship points. Up to one friendship point can be earned per day by completing activities like opening gifts or participating in Raid Battles with your friend.

Please Note: Participating in certain features, such as Weekly Challenges, may allow you to earn multiple friendship points in one day.

There are six Friendship level milestones: Friends, Good Friends, Great Friends, Ultra Friends, Best Friends, and Forever Friends. As you battle, trade, send Gifts, and complete other interactions with a friend, you'll reach Friendship level milestones and unlock extra bonuses, such as a Battle Boost, extra Premier Balls in raids, and remote trading opportunities.

Friend

Requirements - Accept a friend request or have your friend request be accepted.
Bonuses - You can trade certain Pokémon that are already registered in your Pokédex.

Good Friend

Requirements - Earn 1 friendship point together.
Bonuses - Special trades unlocked.

Great Friend

Requirements - Earn 7 friendship points together.

Bonuses

• There is a small reduction in the trading Stardust requirement.
• Receive 1 extra Premier Ball when participating in a raid with your friend.
• Receive a small attack boost when Battling together.

Ultra Friend

Requirements - Earn 30 friendship points together.

Bonuses

• Medium reduction in the trading Stardust requirements.
• Receive 2 extra Premier Balls when participating in a raid with your friend.
• Receive a medium attack boost when Battling together.
• Ability to share an EX Raid Invite with each other.

Best Friend

Requirements - Earn 90 friendship points together.

Bonuses

• Large reduction in the trading Stardust requirements.
• Receive 4 extra Premier Balls when participating in a raid with your friend.
• Receive a large attack boost when Battling together.
• Ability to share an EX Raid Invite with each other.

Forever Friends

Requirements - Earn 180 friendship points together.

Bonuses

• Sustained bonuses from Best Friends:
  • Large reduction in the trading Stardust requirements.
  • Receive 4 extra Premier Balls when participating in a raid with your friend.
• Ability to Trade Remotely once after earning 90 additional friendship points.
  • Note that additional friendship points are required for subsequent Remote Trading.
• Receive an additional attack boost when Battling together.

CHARGING YOUR FOREVER FRIEND PROGRESS BAR

The hearts displaying your Friendship level will be replaced by a progress bar upon becoming Forever Friends. This bar tracks your progress towards earning additional Remote Trades.

Complete activities with your friend, such as participating in Weekly Challenges, battling, trading, and sending and opening Gifts, to earn friendship points and advance this progress bar.

Once you have accumulated 90 friendship points with your Forever Friend, your progress bar will be full again, allowing you to perform another Remote Trade. After completing a Remote Trade with your Forever Friend, your progress bar will reset. Even if you do not perform a Remote Trade once your progress bar is filled, your progress bar will reset and continue to accumulate friendship points towards another Remote Trade. Your earned Remote Trades will still be available, which will be indicated on the Friends list by a Remote Trade icon and will be in an active state on your Forever Friend’s profile.

Source: https://niantic.helpshift.com/hc/en/6-pokemon-go/faq/2847-friend-list-friendship-levels-1614900279/